Elevator



S. M. MERCIER Oct. 10, 1950 ELEVATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 26, 1945 ATTORNEY.

Oct. 10,- 1950 s. M. MERCIER 2,525,041

ELEVATOR Filed July 26, 1945 2 Sheets-Shet 2 INVENTOR STANLEY M. MsRcIER,

Fig. 6 WAC/4% ATTORNEY Patented (Jet. 10, 1950 Un rso stare ELEVATOR Stanley M. Mercier, Bexley, Ohio, assignor, by mesne assignments, to The Jeffrey lvlanufacturing Company, a corporation of Ohio Application July 26, 1945, Serial No. 607,115

1 This invention relates to an elevator or conveyor which is constructed particularly for the elevation of hot material such-as hot clay used 'in the cracking of petroleum.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved elevator or conveyor of the above mentioned typev that includes head and foot traction wheels for carrying an endless chain element of the elevator or conveyor and which endless chain element is driven preferably, but not necessarily, by the head traction wheel through the adhesive friction of the traction wheel and chain.

In carrying out the foregoing object it is another object of-the invention to cause the chain carrying traction wheels of the elevator or conveyor to carry the chain element of the conveyor throughits cross members and to guide the chain through its side members.

I n carrying out. theforegoing objects it is yet another object of the invention to utilize the force of gravity upon various parts of the conveyor apparatus for increasing the adhesive friction of the traction wheel and chain.

;A further object of theinvention is to provide an improvedtraction wheel structure particularly adaptedfor an elevator or conveyor operating under conditions of heat in combination with a shaft which is cooled.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a wheelstructure preferably insulated in part in which provision is made for expansionof therim thereof with respect to the hub or central portion thereof. I

.Yetanother object; of the invention is to provide an improved traction wheel structure particularly adaptedfor anelevator or conveyor operati-ngunder conditions of heat in combination with a shaft-whichyis cooled in which provision ismade for expansion of the rim thereof with respect to the hubor central portion thereof, the wheel including, a, plurality of concentric. rings under tension at atmospheric temperature and being interlocked to prevent their slipping relative to one another when the rim f the wheel is operating at an elevated temperature.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter thenovel features and combinations being set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational View of an elevator or conveyor incorporating the features of my invention; I 1 1 Fig. 2 is a rear view of the head portion of the conveyor shown in Fig. l, the view being taken on line :2 2 thereof;

7 Claims. (o1.19 s 140) Fig. 3 is a transverse, fragmentary sectional view showing one end of the head shaft and head.

traction wheel assembly of the elevator or conveyor;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view in section, the sec- This app ication is a continuation in partof my application for Elevator, Serial No. 500,799,,

filed September 1, 1943, now Patent 2,491,899, datedDecember 29,1943. It is to be'understood that throughout, the disclosure of this applica-. tion follows that of my parentapplication, abovev identified, unless a contrary fact is distinctly in-.

dicated inthe drawings or specification.

The conveyor or elevator is illustrated as a whole in Fig. l of the drawings and comprises a vertical or upwardly extending tower or main frame 2!] which is generally rectangular in cross section and at each of the four corners includes a vertical or upright structural member such as a channel 2 i. Each of the channels 2! in the finally assembled condition of the main frame 29 constitutes a'continuous, upright member which extends from the foot or bottom of the main frame 20 to the top thereof. ;At their bottoms, the channels 2! are provided with feet preferably rigidly attached to the base members which may be,

for example, mounted on a poured concrete base sufficiently sunk in the ground to provide a firm foundation. At their tops the channel members 2| are rigidly connected together by side I-beams 23 and cross channels '2='i, all of said structural members 2!, 23 and 2 being rigidly connected together. Al'ongthe sides, each of the two front and rear channel members-2! are connected byone or more diagonal braces 25 as well as hori zontal angle members 26. Spaced moment meme. bers 21 connect the front and rear pairs of channels 2|. Mounted upon the I-beams 23 at thetop of the main frame 2! is a; pair of spaced bearelements 33 of a bucket elevator or conveyor mechanism 34. Extending between the two chain elements 33 and carried thereby is a plurality of material receiving means in the form of buckets 35 (see Fig. 5), said buckets being rigidly attached adjacent their sides to the inner side bars, links, or members of the chains 33 by ap propriate brackets or attachments 35.

At the foot or bottom of the tower or main frame there is a foot shaft 31 which'is disclosed in detail in Fig. 5 of the drawings and will be described more completely in reference thereto. For the moment it may be pointed, out that the foot shaft 31 is part of a foot shaft assembly 38 that includes a pair of spaced traction wheels 39 which receive and carry the two endless chain elements 33 of the elevator or conveyor mechanism 34.

Supported by the main frame 20 and generally within the structural members thereof is a totally enclosing casing or housing 40 which includes as its three principal parts a head section 4|, a foot section 42 and a plurality of intermediate sections 43. All of these sections are preferably formed at least in part of insulating material so that the enclosing housing or casing is insulated. Also the head section 4| is provided with a discharge chute or spout 44 by which the material is discharged from the conveyor 34.

The foot part or section 42 of the housing or hot clay or other material to be elevated is delivered preferably directly into the buckets 35 at the bottom of the feed run of the conveyor mechanism 34; The foot section or tight dust and heat seals for the foot shaft 31 which is mounted for substantially free or floating vertical movement through a limited range so as to compensate for changes in the lengths of the chain elements 33, particularly under the influence of temperature changes and this structure will be more fully described hereinafter, with reference to Fig. 5. At this time it is also desirable to point out that the main frame 20 adjacent the foot section 4! is provided with considerable auxiliary equipment which also will be more fully described hereinafter.

Attention is now directed to mechanism that is included in the head section of the conveyor and shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. Referring thereto it will be noted that one end of the head shaft 30 is provided with a drive sprocket 46 which is keyed to the shaft 30. At its other end the shaft 30 is provided with a traction wheel 41 48 (Fig. 1) cooperates. The drive sprocket 46 is driven from an appropriate motor and speed reducer 43 through an appropriate chain and sprocket or equivalent drive 50. The motor and platform formed on rearwardly extendin por tions of the I-beams 23.

Important features of my platform formed in the head assembly 3 i, the foot assembly 38 and in the conveyor mechanism 34. Fig. 3 of the drawings illustrates one end of the head assembly 3!, one of the bearing boxes 29 and certain associated apparatus, it being understood that the structure is duplicated on the other side of the elevator except for differences which are hereinafter pointed out.

Mounted in spaced relation on the head shaft 30 are the head traction wheels or driving discs 32, there being one for each of the chain elements 33, said traction wheels or discs preferably being casing 4llincludes a feed chute by which part 42 also includes structure providing gas with which a mechanically operated brake device speed reducing mechanism 49 is mounted on a of similar construction. Each traction wheel or disc 32 includes a plate steel center ring or disc 5! lpreferablykeyed and welded to the shaft 30. The additional diameter of the wheel or hub is formed by a pair of concentric rings 52 and 53, the first being shrunk onto, the center ring 5| and the second being in turn shrunk onto the ring 52. In building up this wheel, hub or center portion of the traction wheel or disc 32 the ring 52 is heated to a high temperature so that it can be forced or slipped onto ring 5| so that when it cools to atmospheric temperature it will be under tension. Thereafter, the edges of the rings 5! and 52are interlocked by auxiliary means preferably in the form of welds 54 that may be either continuous or at spaced intervals along the adjacent edges thereof. In a similar manner the ring 53 is shrunk on the ring 52 and interlocked therewith preferably by welds 55. The ring 53 is also under tension at atmospheric temperature.

As a consequence of the above structure the wheel or hub can expand or contract with variations in temperature without causing damage thereto and at the same time the structure is such that the parts are held together both by friction and by the auxiliary interlocks formed by the welds 54 and 55. The wheel, hub or center portion of the traction wheel or driving disc above described has shrunk thereon a ring or rim 56 that is preferably formed of wear resistant material, such as a chrome molybdenum tungsten steel, one example of which is known com mercially as hot die steel and which forms the periphery of the traction wheel or disc 32. The peripheral ring or rim of the traction wheel 32 extends laterally on each side of the wheel or hub and is notched as at 5| in its inner peripheral surface to receive lugs or ears 5'! of plates or look members 58' which are parts of auxiliary interlocks or safety devices 59 that are carried by the wheel, hub or center portion of the traction wheel or driving disc. 32.

In elevators or conveyors that are adapted to handle hot material such as hot clay to be used inthe cracking of petroleum the temperature of the conveyor mechanism and consequently that of the traction wheels or discs 32 may possibly be 1000 degrees F. Because the traction wheels or discs 32 are carried by the head shaft 30 which is cooled, as hereinafter more fully described, the temperature of the outer portions of the traction wheels or discs-32 when the elevator or conveyor is in operation will be substantially equal to that of the conveyor mechanism 34. Since heat is conducted from the traction wheels or discs 32 by the cooled head shaft 38 the temv perature of the traction wheels or discs 32 will decrease progressively from the peripheral ring or rim thereof toward the centermost portion of the wheel or hub. The peripheral ring or rim 56, like rings 52 and 53, is under tension at atmospheric temperature and it is the main function of the interlock devices 59 to insure against or to prevent slippage of the peripheral ring or rim 55 in any direction upon the ring 53 notches (it of the peripheral ring or rim 56 of the rim ll being connected by bolts 13.

the traction wheel or driving disc 32 are secured to the ends of. the pins 66, as by welding.

'Because it is necessary that the peripheral ring or rim 58 and the hub be positively connected' in the complete traction wheel or driving disc 32 and because it is occasionally necessary to replace the rim 55 when it has become worn,.

I-have found it to be particularly desirable to use the auxiliary interlocks 59, above described. The interlocks 59 can only be removed from the traction wheel 32 by breaking or removing the welds between the plates 58 and the pins 69 and' should the plates 58 and pins 69 be damaged during the breaking or removal of the weld they may be readily renewed without damage to the wheel, hub or center portion of the traction wheel. Thus, the traction wheels or driving discs may have their peripheral rings replaced any number of times without suffering damage as a result thereof.

To protect the major portion of the two traction wheels 32 from the high temperature within the casing 49 and also to reduce the transfer of heat therefrom through the shaft 39 and its supporting bearings 29, the principal portion of said traction wheel 32, including the rings 5| and 52 and part of the ring 53 as well as a major portion of the shaft 39 within the casing or housingdfl, is embedded in a heavy frame 62 of insulating material which'is preferably made up of sections which are split along a plane passing through the axis of shaft 39 transversely of itself. The frame 92 is also made in sections, there being at least one transverse section between the two traction wheels 32 and two sections, one outside of each of said traction wheels, these transverse sections being connected together with tie rods 93. Similar rods or tie bolts not illustrated, may interconnect the sections of drum .62 along their plane of severance parallel to the axis of shaft 39. The head shaft 30 of the head assembly 3! extends through the insulated side walls of the housing or casing 99 through suitable stuffing boxes or glands 64 and through the bearings 29 that support it. The shaft 39 is cooled by water that is fed into its interior and removed therefrom through fittings 65. It is important that the temperature of the shaft 39 be controlled to prevent damage to the bearings 29. In spite of all the insulation provided, the head shaft were it not cooled otherwise, would become quite hot. It is also because of the necessity of cooling or controlling the temperature of the shaft 39 and consequently large temperature differential between it and the ring, rim or tire of the traction wheel 32 that the above described special construction of said trace tion wheel-or driving disc 32 is required.-

Attention is now particularly directed to Fig. 5

of the drawings and to the structure of the footshaft assembly 38 and the mechanism by which the foot shaft 3! is mounted for free or floating vertical movement. The structure illustrated in Fig. 5 is duplicated on each side of the unit.

The foot shaft assembly 38 includes at each side a traction wheel 39 the structure of which is illustrated in detail in Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings. Said wheel 39 includes a'hub l9 and a ring type rim or tire .ll the hub and rim being split, the former beingassembled and clamped to theshaft 31 by a pair of bolts 12, the sections of Interconnecting the hub ill and the rim or tire H is :a plurality of yoke type spokes 14. It is to be noted that all of the spokes 14 extends from the 3 of each spoke M are pivotally attached to the desirable to indicate the position of the frame hub m and rim ll by rivets l5 and 16, respectively. It is evident that if the rim H should expand under the influence of heat in the casing 49 it will be free to do so and the spokes M will swing about their pivot points and move toward a radial position. Conversely should rim H contract, the spokes It would move farther away from the radial position.

Shaft 37 is cooled or its temperature is controlled in a manner similar to that by which the temperature of head shaft 30 is controlled, that is, fittings F1 are provided for the entry and exit of cooling fluid from its hollowed interior. The structure provided is such as to compensate readily for wide temperature variations to which the traction wheel 39 is subjected, and to take care of the fact that shaft 3'! is cooled while rim H is very hot while the conveyor is in operation. In my parent application, Serial No. 500,799, above mentioned, the foot shaft and wheels are shown insulated. If desired, this same construction may be employed. I have found, however, that the insulation is not always necessary since the temperature at the foot shaft is normally considerably lower than at the head shaft. Consequently, the insulation is not shown on the foot shaft in the arrangement of the instant application.

Attention is now directed to Fig. l of the drawings and to the construction which provides for the floating vertical relation of the foot shaft assembly 38. A box-like frame 89 is pivotally mounted at its rear on two pivot points one of which is seen at 8|, said pivots 8i being mounted on rollers which roll between top and bottom guides 82. As a consequence, as the frame 89 pivots about said pivots 8! they move in a hori- 'zontal plane to provide for vertical or rectilinear movement, the frame being guided by the shaft 31 which moves in a vertical direction only, It is, of course, evident that the axis of pivots 8| is parallel with the axis of shaft 3?. It is also and to this end one of the frame beams 86 is provided with a pointer which co-operates with a stationary scale 83 attached to the main frame.

Referring now to Fig. 5 of the drawings, each end of the foot shaft 3'! extends through a slot 8 3 in the insulated side walls of the footsection Q2 of the casing or housing 40 and into a bearin 85 that is carried on a side beam 86 of the box-like frame '89. A shaft guiding and sealing device 8! surrounds the shaft 3'! and moves vertically therewith ,while preventing sideward movement thereof and provides a movable seal for the slot 84. The shaft guiding and sealing device is completely described and claimed in my parent application, Serial No. 500,799, above referred to.

In the past it has generally been deemed necessary in order to drive two'strands of chain together by separate driving meansto do so by means of two sprockets. This is because, prac-' tically speaking, it is beyond the realm of anything. except mathematics to produce two wheels of exactly equal diameters or two wheels which will wear at equal rates. In my Patent No. 2,491,899, above identified, I utilized two sprockets for driving the conveyor mechanism. In service in elevators or conveyors conveying hot catalysts the teeth of these sprockets, particularly at their short periods of time, so badly worn in fact that it frequently has been necessary prematurely to remove the elevators or conveyors from service in order to replace the sprocket teeth.

I have now departed from the conventional by driving two strands of chain together by separate smooth cylindrical peripheral surfaced traction or friction wheels or driving discs to provide a long life driving wheel in a hot elevator and this is an important feature of my invention.

Referring now to Fig. 7, the conveyor mechanism 34, the head assembly 3| and the foot assembly 38 are shown diagrammatically. The chains 33 carry a plurality of buckets 35 which are rigidly mounted to the inside side members or links of the conveyor chains. The diagrammatic drawing for the sake of clarity omits many of the buckets 35. ihe chain 33 is built up of many rigid links 89 that are pivoted together by pins 90. Each link 89 includes side members 9! and a connector knuckle or cross member 92 that is rigidly secured to and connects the side members 9 I.

Referring now to Figs. 3, 4 and 5, it will be seen that the rims or tires 56 of the traction wheels or driving discs 32 and 39 bear directly upon and carry the chains 3.3 through their frictional contact with the rigid connector knuckles or cross members 92, the side bars or members 9| of the chains extending radially inwardly at the sides of the rims or tires thereof.

Referring particularly to Figs. 3 and 4, it will be seen that the chain in effect forms a channel in which the rims of the traction wheels run, thus holding the chains 33 on said traction Wheels 32. I have found that the chains 33 of the conveyor mechanism 35 can be efficiently driven through traction, that is, through the friction between the knuckles or cross members 9.2 of the chains 33 and the rims or tires of the traction wheels. I have also found that the side bars or members of the chain co-operate with the sides of the rims or tires 56 to guide the chains 33 efiiciently as they are carried over the traction wheels.

Referring again to Fig. '7, it will be seen that ing wheels occurs only through the knuckles or cross members 92 of the chains since they are the only portions of the chain which beardirectly upon the peripheries of the traction wheels.

One of the reasons that it has been deemed driving two strands of chain together by separate means is that any difference in diameter in the traction wheels which are utilized for the purpose must result in one chain advancing its position or creeping relative to the other. this relative advance or creep in turn would cause twisting of the buckets and their attachments to the chains and'cause them to pick up or assume part of the load from the lagging chain which possibly would result in damaging the buckets which ar connected to and disposed between them. I have found that when traction wheels are utilized to drive the conveyor mechanism 34 when the elevator is in operation and one chain gets ahead of the other the upcoming buckets 35 will start transferring some of the load to this chain from the chain which is lagging.

It is important to note that exactly the reverse roots, have become excessively worn in relatively necessary in the past to utilize sprockets for f this happens on the downgoing side of the con-.

the friction between the chains 33 and the drivveyor mechanism' 34. There the buckets on the lagging side pick up part of the load nor--. mally belonging to the leading or advanced chain. Any shifting of this kind modifies the frictional coefiicient required to drive the chain. A sufficient shifting. or creeping between the chains 33 exceeds the capacity of friction to drive it and the loading chain, then slips upon the traction wheel to equalize or straighten the conveyor mechanism 34. I have found that by making the buckets 35 suiiiciently'rigid to withstand such strains the use of traction wheels for driving the conveyor mechanism as is practical and more efficient than were sprockets.

From the foregoing it will be noted that any prevailing tendency for either chain to slip will be self-healing by wearing off of the excess material of the traction wheels and this slipping which will in any event occur will wear off or prevent the formation of any corrugations on the peripheries of the traction wheels.

. The effect of gravity upon the parts of the conveyor that are supported by the head assembly 3i, that is, the weight of the conveyor parts, controls the amount of friction which can exist between the connectors or cross members 92 and the rim or tire 5B of the traction wheels and in order to control or increase the adhesive friction therebetween a portion of the weight of the foot assembly 33 and 'boxlike frame 8E1 which carries the foot assembly is added to the weight of the conveyor mechanism. The weight of these members is partially balanced by a counter-balancing weight 93 which is carried through a suitable cable over a sheave or pulley 94 to a leverage increasing mechanism 95 that is carried by the main frame 20 of the elevator or conveyor, the boxlike frame 3% in turn being connected by an adjustable rod 98 and a short length of cable 97 which is connected to the leverage increasing device 95.

From the foregoing description of the elevator or conveyor structure and its operation it will be seen that I have departed from the conventional and have provided an elevator or conveyor that is considerably more simple and less costly in construction than are conveyors wherein sprockets are utilized for driving the conveyor mechanism. My present invention is now successfully serving in elevators that are used for conveying hot catalyst material for use in the cracking of petroleum, but it is to be understood that the invention may readily be used in conveyors that are adapted for other uses.

Obviously those skilled in the art may make various changes in the details and arrangement of parts Without departing from the spiritand scope of the invention as defined by the claims hereto appended and I wish therefore not to be restricted to the precise construction herein disclosed.

Having thus described and shown an embodiment of my invention, what I desire to secure by- Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A thermal compensating conveyor driving wheel for tractionally driving a chain element locking said ring andhub, said ring being under" tension at atmospheric temperature.

2. A wheel assembly for a hot conveyor including a center plate, a-ring on said plate and being under tension at atmospheric temperatures, a"

shaft.

3. A wheel and shaft assembly including a shaft, fluid means for controlling the temperature of said shaft, a wheel rim on said shaft subject to temperature widely different from said shaft temperature, and means interconnecting said wheel rim and shaft which is constructed and arranged to offset thermal stresses, said means including concentric rings under tension at atmospheric temperatures.

4. A wheel and shaft assembly including a shaft, fluid means for controlling the temperature of said shaft, a wheel rim on said shaft subject to temperatures widely different from said shaft temperaturaand means interconnecting said, wheel rim' and shaft which is constructed and arranged to offset thermal stresses, said,

means including spokes interconnecting said rim and shaft ofiset from the radial to provide for movement of all of them toward and from the radial as said rim expands and contracts.

5. In combination, a wheel, a rim carried thereby, said rim being under tension at atmospheric temperature, and interlocking means for" 10 welded to the ends of said pins extending into said rim.

7. An elevator for hot material including an enclosure of insulating material, a conveyor therein, said conveyor including a chain and a toothless friction type drive wheel having an outer rim the peripheral surface of which consists of a smooth and entirely uninterrupted cylinder contacting said conveyor chain, said rim being made of hard wear resisting steel.

STANLEY M. MERCIER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: I

v UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 98,848 Chanute et a1 'Jan. 18, 1870 153,838 Mooers Aug. 4, 1874 188,988 Van Trump Mar. 27, 1877 311,334 Levalley Jan. 27, 1885 414,829 Walden Nov. 12, 1889 550,681 Hiorth 1 Dec. 3, 1895 706,764 Lawrence Aug. 12, 1902 715,449 Willson Dec. 9, 1902 1,293,727 Didlake Feb. 11, 1919 1,702,578 Stevens Feb. 19, 1929 1,740,087 Hall Dec. 17, 1929 1,849,287 Fahrenwald -Mar. 15, 1932 1,954,508 Winter, Apr. 10, 1934 2,007,604 Harris July 9, 1935 2,013,139 Rice Sept. 3, 1935 Mayer Sept. 30, 1941 

